ICE HOCKEY

To say that King center Jozef Stumpel’s Olympic experience was a disappointment would be an understatement.

After sitting out the Kings’ final game against the Mighty Ducks before the start of the 17-day Olympic break because he was sick with flu, Stumpel traveled 14 hours to join his Slovakian teammates. Once there, however, Stumpel discovered that he was not picked to fill one of the two roster spots left open for the team’s NHL players to play in the final preliminary round game.

But Slovakia’s plan of going with an NHL-dominated lineup in the medal round fell apart when Kazakhstan won, 4-3, and Stumpel and his Olympic teammates went home early.

“I flew and got there on a Monday and then left Wednesday afternoon,” Stumpel said. “I was there two days exactly in Japan.”

Because of Slovakia’s premature Olympic exit, Stumpel has been able to get some rest and has looked sharp in the Kings’ restricted practices this week. But he still is a little bitter for not getting a chance to play in Japan.

“It’s kind of bad because everyone was expecting us to get to the quarterfinals and then we don’t make it through,” he said. “[Slovakians] are not happy with everything that happened over there. Before the Olympics, no one really knew what they were going to do. How they were going to send some guys back. Then we don’t even make the [medal] round. I’m disappointed about that.

“But at least I get a chance to work and get in better shape [for the rest of the NHL season]. We have 27 games left and hopefully we can make a push for a better spot in the playoffs.”